Who Hijacked Our Country

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

Corporate Thug of the Week: Gogebic Mining Company

Gogebic has an illegal mining site in the Penokee Mountains of northern Wisconsin.  The mine is located on public lands and is in violation of a local Indian treaty.

Last month Gogebic was traumatized when fifteen protesters gathered near the mining site.  To make sure this kind of outrage will never happen again, Gogebic has hired Bulletproof Securities.  As the name indicates, Bulletproof Securities is a private “security” company patterned after Blackwater or Xe or whatever they’re calling themselves this week.

A mine on public lands, in violation of a local treaty, and private armed guards being hired to protect the “property” — again, on public land — from the public:  sounds like the kind of thing we’re always reading about in third world countries.

Wisconsin state senator Bob Jauch said:

“I’m appalled.  There is no evidence to justify their presence.  Do they have the authority to use those weapons? If so, on who?  I don’t know if there’s a hunting season right now except maybe for rabbit, but you shoot a rabbit with that, all you’ll end up with is fur. What would you use those weapons for except to hurt somebody?”

A Wisconsin website — Indian Country TV — showed video footage of several Bulletproof Securities guards near the Gogebic mine site, dressed in full camouflage and carrying assault rifles.  A cameraman asked one of the guards:

“What happened to your fancy guns?  Look at that. Very close by. Who are you going to shoot?”

The guard responded:  “It’s a security protocol,” and refused to give his name or his employer’s name.  The cameraman continued:

“You’re being caught up in a national phenomenon.  We’ve got reporters calling from all over the country wondering about the occupation of Penokee Mountains Heritage Park by people who’ve got automatic weapons. And the question is, ‘Why?’”

Good question.

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4 Comments:

Blogger jadedj said...

Jesus Christ...sounds like some screenwriter's fancy from a James Bond movie...except it ain't make believe!

July 10, 2013 at 4:22 AM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

jadedj: Yup, it sounds like a James Bond movie. Either that, or our high school civics teachers pointing out the police state tactics of third world countries and saying "aren't you glad we live in America?"

July 10, 2013 at 4:00 PM  
Blogger Snave said...

If we allow this kind of b.s. to become commonplace in our country, what might jobs like mall security, BLM and USFS rangers evolve into? But by then, maybe all those people will have to be armed because they'll feel they have to counter most Americans packing heat?

There was an episode of The Simpsons some years ago where the characters of "Itchy and Scratchy" (the cartoon show the Simpson kids like to watch about Itchy the mouse and Scratchy the cat) were having a confrontation. One pulled out a pistol, the other countered with a larger pistol. It went on like this until there was a view of the earth, with gigantic hands pointing around from behind it pointing giant guns at each other.

That was one of the best social commentaries on our gun-crazed society I've seen... and this unnecessarily high-powered shadowy security stuff employed by Gogebic looks to me like a result of the kind of paranoia and fear we're faced with in today's society. What a shame.

July 14, 2013 at 7:26 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Snave: I didn't see that Simpsons episode, but it sounds like a hilarious commentary on the arms race and everyone's paranoia.

July 15, 2013 at 10:26 AM  

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